Sharjah: The Abu Dhabi Federal Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of a man who murdered his lover's husband three years ago.

The Supreme Court upheld the death sentence against H.M.D., 24, an Iranian, who strangled his lover's husband, also an Iranian, and then took the body to a remote area in Ajman and burnt it.

The wife of the victim served 18 months in jail. She was deported to her home country. The Sharia court had sentenced the accused to death, but he appealed.

H.M.D was found guilty by the court and imposed the death sentence for killing Z.F.Kh. He was also found guilty of drinking alcohol, entering the country illegally and lacking legal documents.

The Appeal Court upheld the sentence, and the Federal Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence.

H.M.D. stayed in the UAE illegally. He worked at a car workshop in Sharjah owned by another Iranian. H.M.D and the owner of the workshop, identified as Z.F.Kh., became close friends.

Illicit relationship

An illicit relationship started between H.M.D. and Z.F.Kh.'s wife as he spent a lot of time at Z.F.Kh.'s house. H.M.D admitted to strangling Z.F.Kh. one day when his lover was out with the children.

On the day of the crime, the accused and Z.F.Kh. stayed up late at night drinking alcohol and chatting.

Around 2am, the woman went to Dubai to pick up her two children while the husband and H.M.D, who were both drunk, stayed at home with the third child.

When the son went to his room, H.M.D. throttled Z.F.Kh. with a rope. He told the court that he put the body in the boot of the car and drove to Dubai, but he could not find a suitable place to burn the body so he turned back to Ajman. When he reached a remote area on the way to Umm Al Quwain he burnt the body using gasoline which he bought from a petrol station while on his way at around 3am.

Bed sheets

The defendant forgot his spectacles in the car which was used as evidence against him. He then called up his lover and told her that he had gotten rid of her husband, that he strangled him and burnt his body.

He told her to wash the bedsheets because when he was strangling her husband, the victim had relieved himself.